A Blind Astronomer, What to Do With Your Life, and Ridiculous Exercise Trends

A blind astronomer, how to figure out what to do with your life post-college, the most stolen books, and much more to start off your week in our Lifehacker Brain Buffet!

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7 Ways To Deal With People In A Bad Mood

There are people who have bad days, people who have bad moods, and some people that just have a bad attitude. We are all prone to having bad days, but our advantage is that we can put on a smile and face the day with a good spirit. Some of us out there are not so fortunate, and tend to carry the chip on their shoulder everywhere they have to go. You know the type; cranky people in the grocery store, people who have intolerable road rage, or your self-absorbed brother or sister who still needs to tell you what to do and how to do it. Thankfully, we have a clear head, and don’t need to proliferate the mood any more than it is already. How should we take care of all these negative people in our life? Here are some ideas.

passive_agressive1. Brush it off

Remember not to take things personally. There are billions of people out there, and not everyone is always in a good mood. The minute you think someone else’s mood should affect you or is a consequence of you, is the minute your day is going to start going downhill as well.

2. Think of the bigger picture

Someone might be taking it out on you in this particular moment, but in another one, they are a calm and collected person with a loving family. They have parents who love them, and maybe they are parents who are loved. Even though they are are having a bad time right now, don’t forget that in the grand scheme of things, they are valued members of the community just like you are.

3. Just a moment in time

A trendy word you might come across on the internet right now is Sonder ; a word that refers to the moment when you realize that all passersby also have a life as vivid and complex as your own. During every day you will see the rich, the poor, the young, old, positive and negative, and we should do our best to not find fault in people in the moment we are living together, for each of us are all living an abstractly complex and phenomenal moment.

4. Remain calm and carry on!

The worst thing you can do with negative people is absorb their energy and manifest it yourself. Remember to keep cool, find your balance and reflect the negative energy. If you lose your head and start getting impatient yourself, you are only magnifying the problem in the first place. Keep on being yourself; relax and let the energy go beyond your body. Use your calm and serenity to make the beast relax as well. Hopefully the person who is exuding negativity will soon come down to earth with you and you may even find yourself acting as the peacekeeper, bringing the situation from 100 to 0 and restoring balance to the moment.

5. Be extra positive

Although the person you are dealing with now may think you’re being facetious, the more positive energy you can bring to the situation, the better. If the worst thing you can do is absorb the bad vibes, then the best thing you could do is deliver good vibes. Even if you have to be out of your normal character, the enforced positivity you can conjure will balance out the strength of all the negative energy coming your way. It might seem silly to be so happy or what have you, but it’s the only way to counter a strong opposer.

6. Ignore the situation

Taken with a grain of salt, ignoring the negative per son and going away from it all may sometimes be the way out. Without someone for them to vent to, the person will have a bit more headspace to reconsider why they are in a bad mood at all. It may take a bit longer, but sooner or later they will probably come around and realize that they were overreacting in the first place, deduce why it happened, and be able to happily come to terms and reason with you. If this is your spouse, you might get a nice dinner date out of i t!

7. Be realistic

People who are negative are usually coming out of a place devoid of reason and moral structure, and need proper grounding in order to see the unnecessary exposure of bad energy. Take your time, respond calmly and collectively, and be realistic with the person. The energy you are using to relax the situation will bring all the tension down to reality again; there will be a hump to overcome when the upset individual will thin k it is silly that you are not reacting in a dramatic way as well. But if you stay the course, soon the person will run out of energy, and as they say, tears always lead to smiles.

The post 7 Ways To Deal With People In A Bad Mood appeared first on Change your thoughts.

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25 Blissful Ways to Overcome Social Anxiety and Shyness with Kind Grit

You’re reading 25 Blissful Ways to Overcome Social Anxiety and Shyness with Kind Grit, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

25 Blissful Ways to Overcome Social Anxiety & Shyness with Kind Grit

The toughest part to overcoming social anxiety and shyness is that we are the ones usually getting in our own way of progress by judging ourselves and others, by being idealistic, by not taking action because we don’t feel good enough yet.  It is an uphill battle of fear and self-doubt.

We are afraid.

Afraid to fail, of judgment, or to take action or to rock the boat, it is a vicious cycle leading nowhere.

You probably have high standards and maybe you have been let down by them.  The truth is that real progress must happen based in reality, which is imperfect.

Take some realistic and encouraging steps towards confidence.

This simple perspective can dramatically shift your day.  This does not mean to have low expectations, it just means to get closer to the ground so you can be honest, join others, and allow for mistakes to learn and expand.  Small actions, based in the here and now, builds confidence.

Be kinder to yourself and take action towards becoming more compassionate and aware with your relationships and situations until it becomes a part of your life.  You will build up foundations to your authentic and creative self.

Here are 25 ways to reframe your perspective and take meaningful actions towards progress.  You owe it to yourself to overcome shyness and social anxiety and never underestimate your ability.  You will surprise yourself when you replace negative thoughts with positive and imperfect action.

By applying any of these steps, you will get more out of your day, I promise.

  1. Prioritize and balance your health, home, routine, work, and joy.  Start off on the right track first thing in the morning.  I recommend Hal Higdon’s Miracle Morning to get your daily cup of confidence first thing in the morning.
    photo-1461551449292-b63f7419ac93
  2. Reduce CATS.  That’s caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, and sugar (not the cute cuddly creatures).  These cloud your thinking and increase stress and anxiety and by limiting them, you will gain control over your health, how you feel, and how you react with a bonus of not being derailed from progress.
    photo-1444005233317-7fb24f0da789
  3. Lie to Yourself.  Incorporate positive body language.  I’d recommend Presence by Amy Cuddy.  Her research and first hand experience suggests that your mind will follow your body, so stand confident like a starfish and nudge yourself to confident.
    photo-1425009294879-3f15dd0b4ed5
  4. See perfection in imperfection.  Don’t point out the one flaw in a beautiful piece of art.  Life is imperfect and there is a beauty in that.  You are good enough now.  Run to enjoy the view instead of to ‘catch up’.
    photo-1433888104365-77d8043c9615
  5. Don’t dilute your value or numb yourself.  When did becoming sensitive become a bad thing? When you can sense other people’s emotions without them even saying a word, that is a special gift.  Allow yourself to feel and be vulnerable.
    photo-1445098516063-9b0b2e4206e9
  6. Feel entitled to a full life and stay curious about the world.  Get out of autopilot and be your creative self.  You are entitled to live authentically because you are here.  I recommend Elizabeth Gilbert’s soul-enriching and hysterical book Big Magic on this topic.
    photo-1458594468546-902ea1ef951e
  7. Learn more about yourself through expression.  Maybe you have learned to hold back for fear of being judged but by finding a simple form of expression, you will discover you are more interesting than you think.
    photo-1460661419201-fd4cecdf8a8b
  8. Be flexible to change, to people, and things outside your control.  Learn to let go of the things you cannot control and give yourself breathing room for increased resilience when bad things happen, there is power and joy in that space.
    photo-1460825677851-2b15e25c3c99
  9. Connect mindfully and spiritually.  Jumping from task to task can be draining, fill your well and find your compass through nature, God, and inner peace.  Focus only on the task at hand in the here and now with no judgments.
    photo-1422393682802-921122338109
  10. Pray, breathe, pause, and take 10 minutes daily to meditate.  Another way to find spirituality, space and peace is to start meditating and praying every day, this is also a great part of the morning routine.
    YEc7WB6ASDydBTw6GDlF_antalya-beach-lulu
  11. Visualize and relentlessly pursue your dreams.  Instead of visualizing the end result, visualize the steps you will take to get to that end result and see yourself enjoying these experiences.  This is where the real magic happens.
    photo-1458570937094-8381d3a9535b
  12. Find meaningful work and establish motivation discipline.  Treat each new day as an opportunity.  By starting small and seeing yourself succeed, you will see the glorious potential you have at your fingertips.
    photo-1447914178647-198e7e4a70b5
  13. Journal your fears and skills.  Many of us try to hide fear and that only makes it worse, so give it room to breathe, let it sit in the passenger seat, but don’t hand over the wheel.  Also, list your positive traits and accomplishments on a consistent basis.
    photo-1456324504439-367cee3b3c32
  14. Become more compassionate to those in need.  This will bring confidence and help someone.  You don’t have to change the world, you can help just a single person or animal.
    photo-1414445092210-ee1a2da44ad7
  15. Frequently and intentionally go off autopilot to do something different. Take a Ferriss Bueller day and do something out of the ordinary for you.
    photo-1455594089581-a542babe3169
  16. Sweat it out with a workout program to reduce daily stress.  Daily exercise is so rewarding, I don’t have to tell you.  Additionally, if you see an exercise goal through, that confidence gained can be applied to other goals.
    photo-1444337243058-da3cbd06eaff
  17. Establish boundaries and find your ‘no’.  Don’t do things to please others.  This takes grit.  Know what you stand for and respect yourself first, which will decrease your fears and anxieties.
    photo-1453592256941-41c97c1d396a
  18. Don’t compare yourself to others. Stop judgment in its tracks. Let go of caring what others think of you and start to challenge your comfort zone in small ways and build upon it. Action is where you will gain strength.
    photo-1442921262204-fcd00ed49ef7
  19. Be courageous and see fear as an opportunity towards a better life.  After you challenge your comfort zone, take it a step further and challenge your fears and follow your heart.  You might surprise yourself and the world will start to open up.
    photo-1455849318743-b2233052fcff
  20. Fail fast and accept failing as part of the process.  Every skill requires much effort and failure.  Embrace this fact.  Fail socially, that is the only way you will improve.  “Take chances, make mistakes. That’s how you grow. Pain nourishes your courage. You have to fail in order to practice being brave.” — Mary Tyler Moore
    photo-1447584402565-2a5b35a7ea8a
  21. Look to the classics for rich inspiration to refuel the tank.  This will give you more to talk about, directly or indirectly, and the consistency of a simple task like this can boost your confidence and build enrichment in your life.
    photo-1455885661740-29cbf08a42fa
  22. Take action and invite joy.  Become a person that makes decisions and you will naturally become your confident, happy self.  Don’t wait for permission, pave your own authentic path and see where it leads you.
    photo-1436831135709-48bdc150cce5
  23. Get a friend and start a weekly social hour.  Seek out the opinion of others and broaden your perspective.  Be sure to listen to other people and give them the spotlight to build genuine connections.  You become like the people you hang out with so you owe yourself to be selective.
    photo-1454909516657-78526f214d05
  24. Be rational with your expectations and accountable to them.  Don’t expect the worst or give yourself impossible tasks.  Break down problems into simple and tangible steps and take decisive action. Complete a fun to do list of five things instead of zero out of a daunting 20 to build up integrity.
    photo-1435459141050-0234f55a8ca3
  25. Be grateful no matter what, everyday is a new day. This will bring true and everlasting confidence in yourself and in your life.
    photo-1456587349840-30f5d8581fc8

All of these points really boil down to two things: creative compassion and gritty awareness.

Be aware of your choices and be more compassionate with yourself and others by being a creative person.  Life is real and colorful.  Prioritize your time to find balance, accept yourself and others with colorful flaws.  Be resilient to things outside your control and  present-minded and spiritual for real confidence.

Give your inner artist room for expression and sensitivity (creativity) and wait to react.  Be entitled and curious, enjoying meaningful and creative work, visualizing yourself enjoying the steps you will take, and positively nudging yourself, celebrating accomplishments along the way.

Enjoy something different without wondering what others think of you.  Challenge your comfort zone (grit), embrace failure and fear, and use positive words and body language (all grit).  Establish realistic expectations and boundaries and hold yourself accountable, surrounded by positive people who respect your boundaries.

When you stop judging and are kind, you will see how much kinder the world becomes.  Implement these practices to overcome shyness and anxiety and become confident, creative, gritty, and entitled.

-Photos from http://www.Unsplash.com

———

Rachel Bourne is the creator of an upcoming website Sassy Samurai — dedicated to providing Social Anxiety and Shyness Support for You to build confidence and strength. Just check out the site to sign up for notification when we go live (and for free stuff!)

“The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself.” Anna Quindlen

Sassy Samurai

 

You’ve read 25 Blissful Ways to Overcome Social Anxiety and Shyness with Kind Grit, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

http://ift.tt/1Upodgl

25 Blissful Ways to Overcome Social Anxiety and Shyness with Kind Grit

You’re reading 25 Blissful Ways to Overcome Social Anxiety and Shyness with Kind Grit, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

25 Blissful Ways to Overcome Social Anxiety & Shyness with Kind Grit

The toughest part to overcoming social anxiety and shyness is that we are the ones usually getting in our own way of progress by judging ourselves and others, by being idealistic, by not taking action because we don’t feel good enough yet.  It is an uphill battle of fear and self-doubt.

We are afraid.

Afraid to fail, of judgment, or to take action or to rock the boat, it is a vicious cycle leading nowhere.

You probably have high standards and maybe you have been let down by them.  The truth is that real progress must happen based in reality, which is imperfect.

Take some realistic and encouraging steps towards confidence.

This simple perspective can dramatically shift your day.  This does not mean to have low expectations, it just means to get closer to the ground so you can be honest, join others, and allow for mistakes to learn and expand.  Small actions, based in the here and now, builds confidence.

Be kinder to yourself and take action towards becoming more compassionate and aware with your relationships and situations until it becomes a part of your life.  You will build up foundations to your authentic and creative self.

Here are 25 ways to reframe your perspective and take meaningful actions towards progress.  You owe it to yourself to overcome shyness and social anxiety and never underestimate your ability.  You will surprise yourself when you replace negative thoughts with positive and imperfect action.

By applying any of these steps, you will get more out of your day, I promise.

  1. Prioritize and balance your health, home, routine, work, and joy.  Start off on the right track first thing in the morning.  I recommend Hal Higdon’s Miracle Morning to get your daily cup of confidence first thing in the morning.
    photo-1461551449292-b63f7419ac93
  2. Reduce CATS.  That’s caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, and sugar (not the cute cuddly creatures).  These cloud your thinking and increase stress and anxiety and by limiting them, you will gain control over your health, how you feel, and how you react with a bonus of not being derailed from progress.
    photo-1444005233317-7fb24f0da789
  3. Lie to Yourself.  Incorporate positive body language.  I’d recommend Presence by Amy Cuddy.  Her research and first hand experience suggests that your mind will follow your body, so stand confident like a starfish and nudge yourself to confident.
    photo-1425009294879-3f15dd0b4ed5
  4. See perfection in imperfection.  Don’t point out the one flaw in a beautiful piece of art.  Life is imperfect and there is a beauty in that.  You are good enough now.  Run to enjoy the view instead of to ‘catch up’.
    photo-1433888104365-77d8043c9615
  5. Don’t dilute your value or numb yourself.  When did becoming sensitive become a bad thing? When you can sense other people’s emotions without them even saying a word, that is a special gift.  Allow yourself to feel and be vulnerable.
    photo-1445098516063-9b0b2e4206e9
  6. Feel entitled to a full life and stay curious about the world.  Get out of autopilot and be your creative self.  You are entitled to live authentically because you are here.  I recommend Elizabeth Gilbert’s soul-enriching and hysterical book Big Magic on this topic.
    photo-1458594468546-902ea1ef951e
  7. Learn more about yourself through expression.  Maybe you have learned to hold back for fear of being judged but by finding a simple form of expression, you will discover you are more interesting than you think.
    photo-1460661419201-fd4cecdf8a8b
  8. Be flexible to change, to people, and things outside your control.  Learn to let go of the things you cannot control and give yourself breathing room for increased resilience when bad things happen, there is power and joy in that space.
    photo-1460825677851-2b15e25c3c99
  9. Connect mindfully and spiritually.  Jumping from task to task can be draining, fill your well and find your compass through nature, God, and inner peace.  Focus only on the task at hand in the here and now with no judgments.
    photo-1422393682802-921122338109
  10. Pray, breathe, pause, and take 10 minutes daily to meditate.  Another way to find spirituality, space and peace is to start meditating and praying every day, this is also a great part of the morning routine.
    YEc7WB6ASDydBTw6GDlF_antalya-beach-lulu
  11. Visualize and relentlessly pursue your dreams.  Instead of visualizing the end result, visualize the steps you will take to get to that end result and see yourself enjoying these experiences.  This is where the real magic happens.
    photo-1458570937094-8381d3a9535b
  12. Find meaningful work and establish motivation discipline.  Treat each new day as an opportunity.  By starting small and seeing yourself succeed, you will see the glorious potential you have at your fingertips.
    photo-1447914178647-198e7e4a70b5
  13. Journal your fears and skills.  Many of us try to hide fear and that only makes it worse, so give it room to breathe, let it sit in the passenger seat, but don’t hand over the wheel.  Also, list your positive traits and accomplishments on a consistent basis.
    photo-1456324504439-367cee3b3c32
  14. Become more compassionate to those in need.  This will bring confidence and help someone.  You don’t have to change the world, you can help just a single person or animal.
    photo-1414445092210-ee1a2da44ad7
  15. Frequently and intentionally go off autopilot to do something different. Take a Ferriss Bueller day and do something out of the ordinary for you.
    photo-1455594089581-a542babe3169
  16. Sweat it out with a workout program to reduce daily stress.  Daily exercise is so rewarding, I don’t have to tell you.  Additionally, if you see an exercise goal through, that confidence gained can be applied to other goals.
    photo-1444337243058-da3cbd06eaff
  17. Establish boundaries and find your ‘no’.  Don’t do things to please others.  This takes grit.  Know what you stand for and respect yourself first, which will decrease your fears and anxieties.
    photo-1453592256941-41c97c1d396a
  18. Don’t compare yourself to others. Stop judgment in its tracks. Let go of caring what others think of you and start to challenge your comfort zone in small ways and build upon it. Action is where you will gain strength.
    photo-1442921262204-fcd00ed49ef7
  19. Be courageous and see fear as an opportunity towards a better life.  After you challenge your comfort zone, take it a step further and challenge your fears and follow your heart.  You might surprise yourself and the world will start to open up.
    photo-1455849318743-b2233052fcff
  20. Fail fast and accept failing as part of the process.  Every skill requires much effort and failure.  Embrace this fact.  Fail socially, that is the only way you will improve.  “Take chances, make mistakes. That’s how you grow. Pain nourishes your courage. You have to fail in order to practice being brave.” — Mary Tyler Moore
    photo-1447584402565-2a5b35a7ea8a
  21. Look to the classics for rich inspiration to refuel the tank.  This will give you more to talk about, directly or indirectly, and the consistency of a simple task like this can boost your confidence and build enrichment in your life.
    photo-1455885661740-29cbf08a42fa
  22. Take action and invite joy.  Become a person that makes decisions and you will naturally become your confident, happy self.  Don’t wait for permission, pave your own authentic path and see where it leads you.
    photo-1436831135709-48bdc150cce5
  23. Get a friend and start a weekly social hour.  Seek out the opinion of others and broaden your perspective.  Be sure to listen to other people and give them the spotlight to build genuine connections.  You become like the people you hang out with so you owe yourself to be selective.
    photo-1454909516657-78526f214d05
  24. Be rational with your expectations and accountable to them.  Don’t expect the worst or give yourself impossible tasks.  Break down problems into simple and tangible steps and take decisive action. Complete a fun to do list of five things instead of zero out of a daunting 20 to build up integrity.
    photo-1435459141050-0234f55a8ca3
  25. Be grateful no matter what, everyday is a new day. This will bring true and everlasting confidence in yourself and in your life.
    photo-1456587349840-30f5d8581fc8

All of these points really boil down to two things: creative compassion and gritty awareness.

Be aware of your choices and be more compassionate with yourself and others by being a creative person.  Life is real and colorful.  Prioritize your time to find balance, accept yourself and others with colorful flaws.  Be resilient to things outside your control and  present-minded and spiritual for real confidence.

Give your inner artist room for expression and sensitivity (creativity) and wait to react.  Be entitled and curious, enjoying meaningful and creative work, visualizing yourself enjoying the steps you will take, and positively nudging yourself, celebrating accomplishments along the way.

Enjoy something different without wondering what others think of you.  Challenge your comfort zone (grit), embrace failure and fear, and use positive words and body language (all grit).  Establish realistic expectations and boundaries and hold yourself accountable, surrounded by positive people who respect your boundaries.

When you stop judging and are kind, you will see how much kinder the world becomes.  Implement these practices to overcome shyness and anxiety and become confident, creative, gritty, and entitled.

-Photos from http://www.Unsplash.com

———

Rachel Bourne is the creator of an upcoming website Sassy Samurai — dedicated to providing Social Anxiety and Shyness Support for You to build confidence and strength. Just check out the site to sign up for notification when we go live (and for free stuff!)

“The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself.” Anna Quindlen

Sassy Samurai

 

You’ve read 25 Blissful Ways to Overcome Social Anxiety and Shyness with Kind Grit, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

http://ift.tt/1Upodgl

Learn How to Properly Clean and Grease a Bike Chain In Six Steps

The chain on your bicycle can get gunked up with dirt and grime over time, so it’s a good idea to clean it every once in awhile. This illustrated guide will show you how.

Read more…

http://ift.tt/1S1wRvw

Build Your Own LED Game System With an Arduino and a Picture Frame

You have all sorts of options to make little DIY game systems, but Mithotronic has a fun guide that shows you how to build a system that can play its own set of LED games.

Read more…

http://ift.tt/1rkkXXV

TSA Lines May Soon Get Shorter, Thanks to a New Bill

Finally, some good news about TSA lines: you can likely expect them to be shorter soon, thanks to a new bill.

Read more…

http://ift.tt/1UKi0Ks

What You Can Do to Help In Wake of the Orlando Shooting

Early this morning in Orlando, 50 people were shot dead and 53 more wounded
at a nightclub in Orlando. Whether you’re local or not, here’s how you can help, or at least find a vigil to attend, like-minded people to be with, or seek a little peace.

Read more…

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This Tool Helps You Find a Place to Donate Blood In Your Area

When a disaster occurs, you may want to donate blood to help out. While it may be more helpful to wait rather than donate immediately, you’ll need to know where your local blood bank is either way. This tool can help.

Read more…

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This All-In-One System Rescue Toolkit Has Just the Right Tools to Troubleshoot Your PC

There’s no shortage of system rescue and repair discs
you can download and keep handy for when your PC gives you problems, but this one, from reader Paul, is streamlined, simple, and has only a few effective tools on it (and no bloat!)

Read more…

http://ift.tt/21goJhf